East Texas Pipeline: Johnson earns All-America honors

Published 11:03 pm Thursday, December 18, 2014

Former Gilmer High School star Gus Johnson continues to rack up the postseason awards after his record-breaking senior campaign at Stephen F. Austin State University, as the senior running back was named an American Football Coaches Association FCS All-American earlier this week.

Johnson pushed the Lumberjacks into the FCS playoffs for the first time since 2010 and earned Southland Conference Player of the Year honors along the way. Johnson set SFA’s single-season rushing record with 1,683 yards. He also set a new SFA single-season record for most rushing touchdowns in a season with 23. Additionally, Johnson set the school record for single-season points (138) and recorded his third four-touchdown game of his career against Incarnate Word.

For 2014 Johnson was in the FCS Top 10 in five different categories and was a Walter Payton Award finalist, finishing ninth in voting. The Payton Award is given to the nation’s top offensive player.

It’s clear that Johnson leaves SFA as its most productive back in program history. He is now the Lumberjacks’ all-time leading rusher (3,907 yards), along with their leader in rushing touchdowns (51) and total touchdowns (52). His numbers are among the Top 5 rushers in SLC history. Plus, Johnson’s 21 100-yard rushing games and six 200-yard rushing games are tops in SFA history.

Johnson’s season should put him on the radar of NFL scouts. He has already earned an invitation to the NFLPA Collegiate Bowl, to be played in Carson, California, next month. As a senior, Johnson is also eligible for an invitation to the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama, which is played during the week before the Super Bowl. As of yet no SLC player has accepted a Senior Bowl invite.

Johnson is now the 65th All-American in SFA history and its first since 2010.

JT alum selected

All-Big 12

Former John Tyler defensive back Chris Hackett was named first team All-Big 12 by the league’s coaches recently.

Hackett notched 73 tackles (3.5 tackles for loss), a team-leading six interceptions and 12 pass-breakups as the Horned Frogs (11-1) narrowly missed a berth in the College Football Playoff. They will face Mississippi in the Peach Bowl in Atlanta on New Year’s Eve.

Former Longview standout Pete Robertson was a second-team selection. Now at Texas Tech, he led the Red Raiders in tackles (81), sacks (12) and tackles for loss (14.5).

Honorable mention selections included former Daingerfield standout linebacker Steve Edmond (Texas), former Mount Pleasant wide receiver KD Cannon (Baylor) and former Whitehouse quarterback Patrick Mahomes (Texas Tech).

Webb ends Missouri

career with sec honor

Former Gilmer safety Braylon Webb earned one final all-conference honor, as the Southeastern Conference’s coaches awarded Webb second-team honors recently.

Webb ended the season with 69 tackles and a team-leading four interceptions.

The Tigers will face Minnesota in the Buffalo Wild Wings Citrus Bowl in Orlando, Florida Jan. 1.

Briefly …

Sam Houston State will play for a berth in the FCS National Championship game tonight against three-time defending national champion North Dakota State at 7 p.m. on ESPN2. The game will be played at the Fargodome in Fargo, North Dakota. Sam Houston has lost to North Dakota State in their previous two meetings, which were in the FCS national championship games to end the 2011 and 2012 seasons. Former East Texas standouts Michael Wade (safety, Arp), Josh Trotter (OL, Rusk) and Donald Jackson III (OT, Kilgore) are all expected to play.

East Pipeline appears weekly in the Tyler Morning Telegraph and is dedicated to updating readers on East Texas athletes who have gone on to college sports. If you know of a former ET high school athlete who is now competing on the college level and is worthy of recognition, e-mail Matthew Postins at TMTpipeline@hotmail.com with the information.